A/N Happy Friday to all. If you didn't celebrate Thanksgiving I hope you had a wonderful Thursday, and if you did celebrate, I hope you had fantastic food and family. I would like to take a very short break from updating, hopefully no longer than Saturday and Sunday. Because we are steadily nearing the end, I want to take time beforehand to make sure I haven't left anything out and I want to get a few more chapters ahead. I will update again on Monday and I hope you all have a nice weekend. This break will not affect the scheduled update for Monsters if you are also following that story. If I can work fast enough (by which I mean I don't procrastinate) I will be able to post Sunday. I'll do what I can but I will make no promise to an update before Monday.
I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Hermione said goodbye to Draco as he stood in the foyer, ready to leave. After Christmas, the rest of break had passed too fast, and now, Draco was getting ready to go back to Hogwarts. It was going to be strange, this might be the last time he had to leave home to go to the school. Both Hermione and Draco were anxious to finish the cabinets so the real mission could start. They had no reason to think they wouldn't succeed. Narcissa had foregone a big party for New Years' Eve, preferring to spend time only with family. Besides, she had Bellatrix and Hermione's wedding to look forward to as a party. It would be the biggest event of the year and would more than make up for not throwing a New Years' party. Draco hugged Hermione goodbye, ending the embrace quickly, but not before she had a chance to return the hug. He took hold of Narcissa's forearm, the two disappearing from the Manor.
"What shall we do today, love?" Bellatrix asked, snaking her arms around Hermione's waist and resting her chin on the younger witch's shoulder.
"I don't know. Something," Hermione sighed, moving to break Bellatrix's grip. She needed to move, to do something. Bellatrix let her go, watching her soulmate pace across the room.
"Let's take a walk in the garden. You don't need to be wearing down Cissy's floor." Bellatrix grabbed Hermione's hand, pulling her outside and into the garden. It was frigid and there was a decent amount of snow on the ground.
"You couldn't have let me get warmer clothes first?"
"You don't like it? I think it feels good. The air isn't heavy like it sometimes is during summer."
"I just don't want to freeze, Bella."
"You have magic, love. You can cast a warming charm with barely a thought." Hermione crossed her arms and pouted, bottom lip sticking out comically. Bellatrix laughed, leaning forward and gently capturing it between her teeth. She lightly pulled, hands finding Hermione's waist and bringing her closer. Hermione felt her whole body growing warmer with the action.
"I don't need a warming charm when I have you."
"You do. I just cast it for you." Bellatrix smiled broadly, snaking one arm around Hermione's waist, pulling the younger witch tightly to her side. Hermione got as close as she could, soaking up the warmth of Bellatrix and the heating charm.
"How nice of you."
"Maybe I should get a reward."
"Oh, yeah? What kind of reward?"
"Well, usually, the chivalrous prince gets a kiss from the princess."
"How is that a reward?"
"Maybe that's just what I want."
"Then ask for it."
"I thought I just did." Hermione smiled, rolling her eyes as she turned to face Bellatrix. She leaned forward slowly, softly capturing ruby lips with her own. It was a gentle kiss, languid but still passionate. Hermione pulled away slowly, watching as Bellatrix's eyes fluttered open. A dreamy smile was on both of their faces, the pale winter sunlight making their features soft.
"Bella?"
"Yes, Hermione?"
"I'm so glad I get to marry you."
"Me too." They began walking at a slow pace, thoughts wandering with their feet.
"How close to the end are we?"
"I don't know, love. We have to be close by now," Bellatrix sighed, glancing quickly at Hermione.
"I hope so. I want to go out and explore more, but it's not safe enough right now."
"I understand. When this is all over we can go wherever you want."
"We should go somewhere no one can find us, just for a little while."
"I think I'd like that."
They continued walking together, sometimes talking but most times just being together. Kyndet had joined them at some point, trampling through the snow. He would burrow under it, traveling some distance before reemerging, a smile on his face. Hermione and Bellatrix laughed at his antics and he threw snow at them, inciting a snowball fight. This was how Narcissa found them, moments later, when she had decided to get fresh air. Bellatrix and Hermione had each constructed forts, throwing snowballs at each other and Kyndet. One of them hit Narcissa as she was walking past and the two witches immediately stopped. She had a scowl on her face, directed at Hermione, who gave her a sheepish grin. Bellatrix decided to save her soulmate by hitting Narcissa with one herself. It didn't help either of them, but it did bring Narcissa into the snowball fight. They were at it for hours, until each of them was mostly covered in snow. Narcissa called the end of the fight, effectively ending their outdoor time.
The three witches removed the snow covering them with a flick of their wands, stepping into the warm Manor. Hot chocolate was waiting for them and they drank it slowly, the warmth of the mug bringing life back to their cold fingers. They rested in the drawing room, sitting mostly in silence. It was comfortable, just the three of them being in a near proximity. Sure, they were all in the same house, but it was nice to just sit with each other without the need for words. This was how they spent the entirety of the day until Bellatrix and Hermione felt their Mark burning.
"We have to go Cissa. He is calling," Hermione said, standing and taking Bellatrix's arm. Narcissa just nodded, the two witches disappearing from the room. Narcissa sighed, abandoning her seat in search of something to do.
Bellatrix and Hermione arrived to find her island home in a frenzy. Death Eaters were causing chaos all through the house, the Dark Lord standing calmly in the center of it all. The room was cacophonous, yells on top of yells on top of screams. Hermione and Bellatrix stood in shock but didn't show it, taking in what was happening.
"You're here, good," the Dark Lord stated plainly, ignoring the fuss of his Death Eaters.
"What's happened?" Hermione asked, fighting the twitch in her eye at the noise.
"Take a look." He handed Hermione the morning edition of The Daily Prophet, letting her read the page. She didn't hide the disgust on her face as she tried to read it, Bellatrix leaning over her shoulder. Hermione's head swam with the curls of magic in the air, all different colors and all obtrusive. She had nearly forgotten she could see magic because she couldn't see Bellatrix's and her family's magic was calm.
"Enough. You will take this madness outside unless you stop or you will face consequences," she hissed irately. She didn't speak louder than usual, but the entire room fell silent at the unusually harsh tone of the youngest Death Eater. They muttered their apologies, trickling from the room. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, the light easing and the ache in her head subsiding. The Dark Lord watched her curiously and Bellatrix had an amused smile on her face. She ignored it, turning back to the newspaper. Her picture and several of the other Death Eaters, including Bellatrix, were on the front page.
"We've been named. Now we really can't go anywhere," Bellatrix whispered, wrapping her arms around Hermione's waist. She could feel the tension in the younger witch and wanted to ease it.
"Wonderful. What do you want us to do, my Lord?"
"Keep a low profile until it is time to make our move. We need everybody free if the plan is to succeed." Hermione and Bellatrix nodded gravely, preparing to return to the Manor. "Hermione, have you spoken with Kyndet about it, yet?"
"No, my Lord. I'll do it today. I apologize for my outburst."
"Think nothing of it, they were getting quite annoying." The Dark Lord dismissed his Lieutenants with a wave of his hand, watching as the spot they had stood for a few moments before turning and walking to the library. If Kyndet didn't have the answers, he would need to.
"I've never seen you so tense before, love. What's wrong?" Bellatrix asked when they returned, massaging Hermione's shoulders. They were in their room and the curtains were drawn to keep out the light.
"The magic. It's so bright when I see it. It's fine here, I can't see yours because it's the same as mine, and everyone else that stays here is calm. It's only when I first started seeing it or when people aren't calm does it bother me." Hermione felt her tension easing and she leaned back into the dark witch.
"You didn't tell me you could see it. What's it like?"
"It's just faint swirls of color around people, not really things, but I don't think I can see it like Kyndet does, or like Morgana did. It gives me a headache."
"What can I do?" Bellatrix asked, trailing soft kisses over Hermione's neck.
"I need to talk to Kyndet, but you can definitely keep doing that," Hermione whispered, tilting her head to give Bellatrix better access.
"Talk to Kyndet if that's what you have to do to make it better for good."
"Later," Hermione said, turning in Bellatrix's arms and resting her head on the older witch's shoulder, "I need a nap or something."
"Then a nap you shall have, my love," Bellatrix whispered, lifting Hermione and carrying her to the bed.
"I can walk, Bella," Hermione laughed, draping her arms over Bellatrix's shoulder.
"I don't want you to."
"You're so silly."
"Is that a good thing?" Bellatrix set Hermione on the bed, crawling in next to her.
"Of course it is."
"I don't see a problem, then."
"I do. We're still fully dressed, Bella."
"It is rather uncomfortable," Bellatrix whispered, leaning forward to kiss Hermione, banishing their clothes as she deepened it, sliding her tongue along Hermione's bottom lip. The sudden feeling of air made both of them shiver slightly and Bellatrix pulled the blanket over both of them, breaking the kiss as she did so.
"I love you, Bellatrix."
"I love you, too, Hermione."